Machine for cutting button blanks



Dec. 15, 1925- v, 1.565.475

G. A. LIPPINCOTT MACHINE FOR CUTTING BUTTON BLANKS Filed May 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 I gmenloz George A. app/7700771 G. A. LIPPINCOTT MACHINE FOR CUTTING BUTTON BLANKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed y 1922 I gmzntoz, Geo/9e A7. app/00077;

Dec. 15, 1925.

e. A. L'IPFINCOTT MACHINE FOR UTTING BUTTON BLANKS Fild May 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwuanioz Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

GEORGE A. LIPPINCOTT, 0F PHILADELPHIA, FENNSYLVANIA.

MAGI IINE FOE CUTTING BUTTON BLANKS.

Application filed May 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen A. LIrriNoo'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Button Blanks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvementsin means for severing plugs orblanks to form blanks adapted for use in the manufacture of buttons or for other purposes.

As the improved machine is especially adapted for use in the manufacture of button blanks such use is hereinafter particularly referred to, although the machine may be employed for producing blanks for other puil'poses from plugs of any suitable materia In the manufacture of pearl buttons, for example, the blanks are initially cut from suitable pieces of shell which is usually of such thickness as to provide a plurality of blanks exceeding the desired thickness of the completed button.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine for cutting such initial blanks into a plurality of blanks, which can be subsequently treated by grinding, or other suitable means, to bring them t(1) the desired thickness of the finished artic e.

The particular object of the invention is to provide a machine for the purpose de scribed, which can beoperated by unskilled labor, and by which each initial blank will be automatically discharged from a rotary holder after it has been divided into a plu' rality of blanks by a suitable cutting mecha nism.

By the invention the initial blanks are supplied to a series of peripheral pockets in a rotating disk and carried across the path of a saw, or other cutter, the severed blanks being discharged from the holder as the pockets successively pass beyond the path of the cutter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a machine constructed 7 in accordance with the present invention.

' Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Fig. 3 1.8 a siifitional view on the line Fig. 1.

1922. Serial No. 559,039.

detail of another Referring to the drawings, in the several views of which like reference characters designate corresponding parts, the improved machine comprises a base plate 1, in suitable bearings rising from which a shaft 2 is journaled. On the shaft 2, adja- 79 cent one end, is keyed, or otherwise rigldly connected, the hub 3 of a disk 4 which is provided with a series of peripheral pockets each adapted to receive a button blank, and as the shaft 2 is revolved, carry such blanks through a path intersecting that of a revolving cutter mounted on a shaft 5 arranged below, and, as shown, parallel with the shaft 2.

The shaft 2 is provided with a worm wheel 6 which is engaged by a worm on a shaft 7, mounted in'suitable bearings on the plate 1, and having thereon a pulley 8 around which passes a suitable driving band 9.

The peripheral pockets 10 on the disk 4 are formed by concave seats adjacent the outer ends of a series of radially extending projections 11 on the body ofthe vdisk, and in the spaces separating said projectio ns are arranged the heads of yoke-shaped members 12, the limbs 13 and 14 of which extend over opposite faces of the disk and are pivotally connected thereto as at 15.

Springs 16 seated in recesses 17 formed in the bodies of the yokes and bearing against the adjacent projection 11 of the disk act to hold the several yokes in position to retain a blank in each of the pockets 10, and means are provided whereby said yokes are automatically rocked about the pivots 15 as they pass from a position where the-blanks engaged therewith are acted upon by the cutter, so that the yokes will be rocked away from the pockets, and the blanks thus released will automatically fall from the rotating holder.

As shown, the cutter is a thin circular saw 20 which is secured to the shaft 5 and rotated at a relatively high speed by suit able means not shown. The cutter is of such diameter that it extends into a circumferential, peripheral, groove 21 formed in the disk or revoluble blank carrier 4, and extending through the projections 11 and the bodies 12 of the yoke-shaped clamps.

Various means may be employed for rocking the clamps intoinoperative position after the blanks engaged thereby have been severed bythe cutter 20. As shown, a trip 25 is adjustably mounted in a stud 26 projecting from one of the shaft hearings on the plate 1, and has one end 27 bent into the'path ofthe inner-ends of the members 14- of the blank clamps, said port-ion 27 being of cam shape and such form that, as the disk t rotates, the inner ends of thearms 14twill ride thereover and be caused to rock about the pivotslf) against the action of the springs 16, thus moving the clamp away from 'the blank and permitting the latter to fall from the peripheral pocket.

As the initial blanks frequently vary considerably in length, and it is advisable to have them positioned so that one end at least Will be a predetermined, definite, distance from thecutterieceivilig groove 21, an adjustablc, resilient or yielding, abutment or stop is provided adjacent oneend of each peripheral pocket.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4c, these stops or guides 30 are mounted at the outer ends of a series of spring arms 31 which are secured to the disk l at 32, and n'ieans are provided whereby all of said stops or abutments 30 may besimultaneo'usly adjusted toward or away from the adjacent ends of the peripheral pockets it). The adjusting means shown in said figures includes a disk 33 which is provided with an interiorly threaded hub 34: that engages an exteriorly threaded, reduced end portioniof the shaft By turning the disk 33 on the threaded sectioit ofthe shaft 2, all of the stops 30 may be moved toward the peripheral pockets in the disk 4-, and by means of a sleeve 35, having a milled exterior, said stops may be held firmly in the desired adjusted relation to the disk 4. By adjusting the sleeve 35 and disk 34v so that they move outward and toward the end of the shaft 2, the resilient arms 31 will act to correspondingly move the stops 30 from the disk 4:. By this means, as previously stated, it is possible to readily place the blanks to be cut in the several peripheral pockets of the disk 4 and have the end thereof abutting said stops at a predetermined distance from the groove 21 into which the cutter extends.

It will be seen that the stops 30 are fitted to the transverse blank receiving passages 10 in the periphery of the wheel, so that they can be adjusted relative to the passages and the saw to vary the length of the section severed from the blank within wide limits. By moving the stop 30 into the passage 10, a very narrow section can be severed, and, by means of the adjusting mechanism, the stops 30 can follow the blank into the passages 10 so as to use up practically all of the stock of the blank. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the resilient arm 31 can be set considerably in the rear of the passage 10, so as to start with a relatively long blank. After a section has been severed fromthe end of the blank, the blank can be reloaded in the wheel, and the stops 30 set up to advance that blank, and so on, until the stop 30 has fed the blank up to the point Where the end of the stop 30 is within the passage 10,

and closely adjacent'to the saw 20. In this manner, the blanks can be. very closely cut, and loss in stock eliminated.

In Fig. 7, there is illustrated a slightly modified form of this feature ofthe invention. In this, each stop 30 is independently adjustable toward and from its aligned peripheral pocket lO by means of a thumb screw 36 which extends through the spring arm 31 and into an internally threaded socket: formed in the disk 4.

If desired, a plurality of cutters 20, 20", may be employed in connection witha single revoluble disk holder P, a circumferential, peripheral, groove being provided for each cutter, such an embodiment is illus trated in Fig. 8.

The manner of using and the advantages of the machine above described will, it is thought, be apparent.

It is only necessary for an operator to place the blanks -10 to be. cut in the periph eral pockets, and as the disk 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 2 and 3, such blanks tO will be carried through a path intersecting that of the cutter 20, for example, and quickly separated into two portions. These will be held in the pockets by the yoke-shaped clamps until they have passed beyond the path of the cutter, and the members ll of such clamps come into Contact with the trip 27. As the disk rotates, this trip will act to rock the yokeshaped clamps about their pivots 15, and the blanks will be automatically discharged from the disk holder, as indicated in 3.

It will be understood that the drawings are in many respects more or less diagrammatic, and that there can be considerable variation from the details of the machine as illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention. Unless specifically referred to in the appended claims, therefore, the illustration is to be considered as merely illustrative of the invention'and not restrictive thereof.

As previously pointed out, one of the ltlt llG

principal advantages of the present invention is that the machine dan be operated by unskilled labor and will operate 'to sever a maximum number of blanks in a'short time. a

It is only necessary for an attendant'to place theblanks to be cut in the peripheral pockets successively as they pass a given point with one end bearing against the adjustable stop 30. The heads or bodies of the clamp members are of. such shape that they will not seriously interfere with the i11- sertion of blanks in the peripheral pockets, andwhen the blanks are seated in the concave recesses such heads will extend across them at an angle insuring their being retained in position during the cutting operat-ion.

The cutter and holding disk revolve in such manner that the force of the cutting is against the projections 11 of the disk and, therefore, does not act to loosen the clamping action of the yokes on the blanks caused by the springs 16.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a rotary holder provided with a circumferential peripheral groove and a series of passages extending parallel to the axis of the holder and intersecting said groove, each said passage being adapted to receive a blank to be cut, a stop supported by the holder adjacent one end of each said passage for determining the extent to which the blank in said passage shall extend beyond the peripheral groove in one direction, means for simultaneously adjusting all of said stops axially of the holder, and a saw extending into said peripheral groove and adapted tosever the blanks successively as the r tating holder carries them across the path of the saw.

In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a rotary holder provided with a circumferential peripheral groove and a series of passages extending parallel to the axis of the holder and intersecting said groove, each said passage being adapted to receive a blank to be cut, a stop supported by the holder adjacent one end of each said passage for determining the extent to which the blank in said passage shall extend beyond the peripheral groove in one direction, a disc adjustable axially of the holder and cooperating with all of the stops to move them simultaneously toward said peripheral groove, and a saw extending into said groove and adapted to sever the blanks successively as the rotating holder carries them. across the path of the saw.

3. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a rotary holder provided with a circun'iferential peripheral groove and a series of passages extending trans versely of and intersecting said groove, each said passage being adapted to receive a blank to be cut, a resilient arm attached to the holder by means preventing bodily movement thereof relative to the holder, said arm extending across one end of'each said transverse passage to constitute a stop determining the extent that the blank in said passage shall extend beyond the peripheral groove in one direction, means for varying the relation-of each said arm to'the holder, and a saw extending into the peripheral groove in the holder and adapted to sever the blanks successively as the rotating holder carries them, across the path of the saw.

l. In amachine for the purpose described, the combination of a rotary holder provided with a circumferential peripheral groove and a series of passages extending transversely of and intersecting said groove, each said passage being adapted to receive a blank to be cut, a series of resilient arms at tached to the holder and extending radially thereof across one end of the blank receiving passages, a member movable axially of the holder and adapted to adjust the outer ends of said arms toward the peripheral groove in the holder, and a. saw extending into said groove and adapted to sever the blanks successively as the rotating holder carries them across the path of the saw.

5. In a machine for transversely dividing button blanks of shell or similar material, the combination of a rotary disk provided with a series of radially extending projections each having a concave seat formed in one face, a series of yokes each having its limbs embracing the periphery of the disk adjacent each said projection and pivotally connected to the body of the disk, a spring arranged between each yoke and an abutment on the disk and acting to A force the head of the yoke toward the concave seat in the adjacent peripheral projection, a cutter adapted to sever the blanks held in the seats by the spring pressed yokes as the disk rotates, and a trip arranged to be successively contacted with by a member,

of each yoke as it passes beyond the path of the cutter, whereby the yoke will be rocked against the action of its associated spring to release the severed blank.

6. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a holder provided with a series of blank-receiving passages extendlng transversely of its periphery; means for rotating said holder; a saw disposed in overlapping relation to the periphery of said holder and blank receiving passages to sever blanks within the length of said passages; and a plurality of blank positioning means, one for each passage, disposed at the end of and fitting each passage; and means for adjusting said blank positioning means lengthwise relative to said passages to determine the length of the section to be out from a blank.

7 In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a holder provided With a series of blank-receiving passages extending transVersely of its periphery; means for rotating said l10lCl61,2L Saw disposed in overlapping relation to the periphery of said holder and blank-receiving passages to sever blanks Within the length of said receiving passages; and a plurality of resiliently mounted blank positioning means, one for each passage, disposed at the end of and fitting each passage, and means for simultaneously adjusting said blank positioning means lengthwise relative to said passages to determine the length of the section to be cut from a blank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE A. LIPPINCOTT. 

